02
I never really thought there'd come a day when I'd actually win. When I bought the ticket, I'd added ten extra lines, and this time I hit for a total of one hundred and twenty million dollars.
I froze, completely stunned. I pinched myself a few times before I could believe it was really me who'd won.
I knew this was only the beginning, but I couldn't let my brother or my stepmother find out about it yet.
While I was still out, I quietly worked out how to claim the money.
I only went home after I'd calmed myself down.
During that time, my stepmother and my brother called me over and over. I didn't pick up once.
I planned to have it out with her once I got back.
When I got home, they were still waiting for me, just as I'd expected.
Seeing me walk in, Duncan hurried over to coach me. "Ollie, where the hell were you all day? Mom's been going crazy looking for you. When she yells at you in a minute, don't you dare talk back."
Duncan was actually looking out for me, going out of his way to remind me.
I already had my answer ready, and I decided to speak first, before my stepmother could start in on me.
"Mom, I've made up my mind, I'm not going to Los Angeles. But I've already found a job doing graphic design. They provide housing, so I won't be around here getting in your way."
"The pay is a thousand a month. I'll hand over six hundred of it to you."
She'd been all worked up, but the moment she heard that, most of the fire went out of her.
In the end, what my stepmother was after was my money and keeping me out of her sight. Both were covered now, so there was nothing left for her to pick at.
Still, she kept up the huffy act. "Fine, you don't have to go to Los Angeles. But you'll do everything you just said, and you'll sign this agreement too. I promised your brother's wife this before their wedding. If you don't sign, she won't give us a grandchild."
What kind of logic was that? Duncan's wife having a baby depended on me handing over my house.
My father had built this house for me back then, so when the ownership was recorded, he'd put my name on it directly. I never imagined my stepmother and my brother had both been eyeing my house all along.
The matter of me not leaving was settled, but the signing, it seemed, was something they weren't going to let go of.
Only, when I'd taken the chance to look into it that day, I'd learned that a signature alone couldn't transfer the house.
"Mom, I can sign, sure. But signing only means I agree to transfer the house into Duncan's name. To actually make the transfer happen, we'd still have to go to the county records office."
She looked half-convinced. "Is it really that much trouble?"
"Of course. I asked about it specifically."
I turned to look at Letitia Walker, my brother's wife. She had the sunken look of someone whose hopes had just fallen through, and she kept shooting me dirty looks.
"Letitia, if you want to have a baby, just have it. I earn money and give it to Mom, and Mom passes it all on to you anyway, doesn't she?"
Letitia didn't much care for that. She rolled her eyes at me again and went back to her own room.
For me, the whole thing was over for now. But I knew it was only a temporary lull. They weren't going to let it rest.
I decided to go claim the prize the next day. All of this I was doing quietly.
Once I reached the state capital I went straight to the lottery claims center. I didn't take any photo, had the money transferred to a bank card I'd just opened, then rushed back that same night.
Back home, I shut myself in my room and studied the recent property listings. For a few years now, people had been saying big things were coming to the area where our house was. Maybe construction was finally about to start.
While I was still turning it over, the future me sent me another prompt. 【When you buy property, buy in the development at Pemberton. It's already gone on sale. There's going to be a city-run school there, so whether you rent it out or sell it later, you'll come out well ahead.】
